Improvement in self-sealing preserve-cans



R. ARTHUR.

Fruit Can.

7 Patented Jan. 2, 1855.

' UNITE STATES;

mam 'Qrrlca.

IMPROVEM ENT IN SELF-$EALING PRESERVE-CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. R '2, l 53, datedJanuary 2, 1-355.

1' 0 all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ROBERT ARTHUR, of the city of WVashington, in theDistrict of 00-1 lumbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin the Method of Constructing and Closing VesselsI-Iermetically for Domestic and other Purposes, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, and-inWhichi Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a verticalsection, of a tin canister constructed upon my improved plan andhermetically sealed. Figs. 3 and 4 represent similar views-of an earthenjar upon this plan, with a tin lid, also hermetically sealed, in place.

It is well known that certain perishable substances-such as fruits,vegetables, meats, &c.may be preserved unchanged an indefinite len gthoftime by first raising them to' an elevated temperature, and while theyare at this temperature scalin g so'effectually the lid upon the vesselin which they are contained as to cut them off completely from contactwith the atmosphere. It is so desirable, for obvious reasons, that bothvegetable and animal food should be preserved in this way that for someyears past an extensive business devoted exclusively to theaccomplishment of this object has been growing up. The vessels whichhave usually been employed for preserving meats and vegetables fresh arecanisters oftinned iron, the lids of which are soldered on in a way wellknown at the moment when the temperature of the matter contained withinthem is raised to the proper point. This method has been found effectualfor the purpose in view; but it is defective for general use in thisrespect: the process of soldering can only be sue. cessfully conducted,even for this simple purpose, by a person skilled in the art. It istherefore out of the reach of ordinary housewives or servants toaccomplish the object in this way. It is also defective in this respect:when the vessel is once closed it is by most 1 persons found sodifficult to open that it is usually injured by this operation to suchan extent as to be rendered useless. It is unnecessary to say that somecheap, convenient, and easy method within the power of every individualto use is an exceedingly desirable thing. Attempts have been made tosupply this desidcratum, butheretofore with imperfect success. By mysimple invention the defects and difficulties attendant upon alltheprocesses at present known are so entirely surmounted that while butlittle is added to the cost of vessels constructed as I propose to makethem over those of ordinary form, it places within the reach of everyindividual the means of accomplishing this important object with easeand convenience.

My invention consists in making vessels with an annular groove orreceptacle at or near the outer edge of the top, furnished with a cover,the rim of which passes loosely into the groove. The groove may eitherbe formed while the material of which the vessel is made is in a plasticstate, if made of such material, or it may be added after it isotherwise completed. The groove is to be filled with some compositionwhich melts only at a higher temperature than that at which it isnecessary to seal the vessel. After the groove has been filled with thiscomposition, the vessel is complete.

In order to use these vessels for substances which for preservation mustbe heated up to or near the boiling-point, it is only necessary to heatthe vessel to this point and put the cover in position, placing aweightuponit to maintain it in' place until the cement hardens. Theeffect of the heat is simply to soften the composition, so that thecover may be pressed among it into place without rendering it so fluidas to be driven into the vessel by the pressure of the externalatmosphere as the contents cool down and a vacuum is formed in theinterior. If deemed advisable, a hot iron may be rubbed round the cementin contact with the lid, to render its adherence to the latter morecomplete by a mere superficial melting of the cement.

It has been found by experience that vessels constructed with a simplegroove and cover fitting imperfectly in it (as must be the case with allcheap vessels intended for common use) cannot be closed while thecontents are at an elevated temperature by pouring into the groove anyof the ordinary cements, or, indeed, any cement now knowner used forsuch a purpose. It is found that the contents of the vessel lose heatmore rapidly than the body of cement loses its fluidity, and as theycool down and contract in volume the pressure of the external atmospherewill drive the cement into the vessel, and continue to do so as rapidlyas it is poured into the groove until the vacuum is filled, or thetemperature of the vessel is so reduced as to allow it to hardensufficiently to resist the atmospheric pressure: Another dif ficultyalso occurs: After the cement hardens sufficiently to cease flowing intothe canister by atmospheric pressure, gases generated from thesubstances contained in the canister will force their way through thecement, and thus leave vents or openings in it. This difficulty has beenencountered, and attempts made to remove it by means more or lessexpensive. Spratt s patent, lately issued, proposes to make a temporaryjoint by a gasket screwed down upon the top of the opening into thecanister, in order to prevent the effect described from occurring. Now,the effects alluded to occur, as is quite evident, from the imperfectionof the joint. If the lower edge of the cover were ground to a-joint withthe part of the groove it touches, it would simply be necessary to holdit in place for a few minutes until the cement hardens. The imperfectionof the joint, however, may be remedied for this purpose by very simplemeans. If any elastic substance is packed into the bottom of thegroovesuch as a piece of raw cotton, a strip of cotton fabric of anykind, a piece of leather, or even a piece of newspaper, cut of theproper size,

rolled up, and placed in the bottom of the groove-it will effectuallyprevent the cement in its most fluid state from passing into the can orany gas from escaping, if the cover is snugly retained in situ by meansof a weight placed upon it. This I have proved by actual experiment, andclaim to have made this discovery, which,simple and obviousasitis, hasremained unknown until now. The means of closing the canister describedsupersede, however, the necessity of this process; but it may at'timesbe advantageous to resort to it, in consequence of the imperfect qualityof the cement, which of course cannot always be prepared under thesupervision of askillful person. For the purpose in View, a simple,cheap, and efficient cement may be made of gutta-percha and common rosinin proportions varying, as the case may require, from a hal f-ounce tothree ounces of gutta-percha to the pound of rosin.

Other above is sufficient; but if the object is to preserve butter, orsuch articles as do not require to be heated at all, or only require aslight elevation of temperature, a larger proportion of gutta-perchashould be used, and the cover heated by being immersed in boiling water,or otherwise, before it is put in place.

. In order to open the vessels sealed as described, it is only necessaryto heat slightly the part in which the cement is contained in order tosoften it sufficiently to allow the cover with slight effort to beremoved. The means of accomplishing this object are so simpleand variousas not to require any particular description. The immersion for a fewminutes of the upper part of the vessel in boiling water, or,

if'simple boiling water is not hot enough, boiling salt-water or heatedoil,wil1 fully answer. After the cover and contents of the vessel areremoved, it may be cleansed and set aside for future use.

The vessel constructed as I propose (with the groove at the outer sideof the top) offers the advantage of being perfectly accessible, and, asthere is no obstruction or projecting obstacle from the bottom to theopening, can have its contents readily and perfectly removed, and bethoroughly cleansed after the cover is removed like any common cookingutensil. This, though apparently a trifling change, must be seen to be avery useful feature.

I claim- As a new manufacture, a vessel made with agroove to surroundits mouth, prepared with cement, and ready for hermetical sealing; butto hermetical sealing itself I make no claim; neither do I claim aground stopper or cover and seat for hermetical sealing, whether theground surfaces of such stopper or cover and its seat be prepared withcement or not.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBERT ARTHUR.

Witnesses: I

SAML. GRUEB, F. G. FONTAINE.

